Vice President Business Operations

Todd R. Lauck, MSIS

Spencer, IA ***** *****.****@*****.*** 515-***-****

VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS

Dedicated Senior Executive in General Business Management with extensive experience across operations and production in a manufacturing facility, with broad familiarity of Lean manufacturing processes. Oversees all business operations to obtain optimum profits, while driving optimum levels of quality and efficiency. Identifies opportunities for improvement and recommends solutions to improve efficiency, performance, and productivity. Natural servant leadership ability to earn trust and build consensus among multiple stakeholders while building high performing teams. Demonstrates a sense of urgency with impeccable work ethic while effectively managing numerous departments simultaneously, overseeing P&L, risk management, and continuous improvement initiatives. Committed to the success of the company with a strong passion for operational excellence. Proficient in ERP/MRP platforms such as: Oracle; Global Shop Solutions; Vault; Werps; Odyssey; Microsoft Solutions; and iAuditor. Multiple experiences in the migration and implementation into new ERP platforms.

Core Competencies

Lean Manufacturing

Personnel Management

Continuous Improvement

Quality Assurance

Strategic Planning & Implementation

Written / Verbal / Presentation Skills

Cost Reduction / Profit Optimization

Data-based Decision Making

Negotiation / Vendor Relations

Complex Problem Solving

Electronic Auditing Solutions

Operations / Plant Management

Workflow Management

Risk Management

Project Planning

Schedule Coordination

Logistics / Purchasing / IT

P&L Management

Conflict Management

SOP Development

Strong Leadership Abilities

Professional Experience

Northern Iowa Die Casting Lake Park, IA 2021-September 2024

Vice President of Operations Aluminum/Zinc HP Die Casting

Oversee daily aluminum high pressure die casting business operations while monitoring key performance metrics to maximize financial performance of the company. Participate in aluminum and zinc die casting trade shows/seminars to identify both best in practice processes and identify strategic capital investment needs to advance the quality and efficiency of the business simultaneously. Revamping of current business operations and automating work cells to increase the efficiency and integrity of current processes. Collaborate with key stakeholders to determine and achieve mutually decided upon goals.

Manage client accounts and supplier relationships with the top two customers being John Deere Wordwide and Kawasaki-US/Mexico.

Utilize KPI’s to track daily production outputs and shipping to ensure daily revenue/financial performance is achieved.

Develop, maintain and nurture relationships with new business accounts.

Update project portfolios and determine new projects within the executive team. (Odyssey MRP implementation, Visitrak Production/shot count tracking system, two robotic deburr cells).

Focused on supporting cross functional teams driving improvement while also ensuring safety and quality are emphasized throughout.

Sourced and implemented a fully automated Buhler Ecoline casting cell to maximize profitability and efficiency within higher volume products dedicated to the cell. Achieved an overall 56% increase on casted cylinders.

Incorporated a 2-stage robotic deburr cell for cylinders to free up a minimum of 3 production employees allowing for those 30 hours a day to be dedicated to different operation increasing overall throughput and labor utilization.

Procured and implemented two encased robotic deburr cells into service for multiple high-volume parts reducing the departments workload by approximately 33% and shifting that labor to focus on more value add cnc operations.

Ensured all management stakeholders (Accounting, Purchasing, Process, Quality, IT, Maintenance) were engaged and aware of/supporting key production initiatives with the plant staff and projects.

Maintainer Corporation Sheldon, IA 2017 – 2021

Manufacturing Manager/Multi Plant Manager Heavy Duty Work Truck Bodies and Cranes

Efficiently orchestrated and managed all plant operations to build the heavy-duty work truck bodies encompassing 3 plants. Prioritized all maintenance and mechanical engineering projects for equipment and technology upgrades to support the manufacturing of our work truck bodies, cranes and emergency vehicle builds. Delivered 24/7 production support for Lean projects to advance quality and increase efficiency/profit. Operations consisted of 8 different welding lines and parts welding departments, fabrication department utilizing 3 lasers, 3 brake presses, 4 automotive finish paint lines, chassis prep department to prewire and prepare each chassis for its work body, crane and any other add on required, 8 assembly lines encompassing: emergency vehicle builds, standard, custom and lube truck builds and a crane fabrication and assembly department.

Optimized production processes and reduced white space to complete trucks on time, while incorporating processes that increased profitability and delivered cost avoidance.

Automated internal audits by launching iAuditor, ensuring 100% data capture within unit files.

Developed audits to be applied and associated to Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), while also bolstering our quality tracking and data gathering.

Used quality data to identify repeat issues requiring resolve.

Created a customer service value stream to expedite customer parts and eliminate interruptions to product lines. This resulted in maximum customer serviceability, while simultaneously growing parts revenue by 20% on average.

Overall increase from 42 trucks per month on average to 50.

Executed a production schedule to maximize profit and increase efficiency of each production department.

Completed a green space location to move and fully produce all lube trucks in a new building which resulted in custom trucks going from 4 to 5 a week goal and standards from 5 to 7 a week.

Achieved 2 new product launches from conception to real time production.

Overall truck completions improved from 42 to 50 per month.

Meridian Manufacturing Storm Lake, IA 2014 – 2017

Multi-Plant Manager Seed Tender/Bin Mfg.

Planned, executed, and led all daily operations of the manufacturing plants, with responsibility for two powder coat paint lines, 2 epoxy paint lines, 8 welding lines/parts breaking, final assembly, and pre-ship inspection of all outgoing units. Supervised and managed cross-functional teams and developed processes for improved quality and productivity across multiple plants. Ensured optimal workflow, efficiency, and safe operations of each department. Gathered and analyzed data to identify areas for continuous improvement and cost. Coordinated staff to meet business demands and shipping deadlines. Analyzed financial performance to coordinate weekly production schedules. Oversight of 4 different manufacturing facilities.

Implemented 4 new product launches from conception to real time production.

Implemented a flow line in the tender assembly area resulting in a 65% increase in serialized units weekly.

Successfully reorganized each department’s flow to complete product faster, resulting in increased profits and decreased labor rates by 10% on average.

Utilized KPI’s to track production efficiency/takt time (95% target), work stoppages with reason codes to identify problem areas, internal/external qlty with a 99% target, Delivery 95% target, employee retention/turnover, inventory turns to track purchasing, 5S as a Pass/Fail target.

Led cross-functional departments, analyzed processes, and remained transparent on how efficiently processes were operating. Followed Lean manufacturing practices and gained a real-time view of quality and production throughput to improve efficiency and on-time delivery.

Consistently executed Lean projects to reduce plant costs by $2.5M YOY and constantly initiated new process improvements.

Recognized for delivering overall plant and corporate efficiency increasing from 35,000,000 to 50,000,000 in revenue.

Responsible for financial P&L, yearly budget and production planning/scheduling to ensure customer orders were met.

Oversaw the acquisition and movement of a competitors Auger/Conveyor business in house which included 3 million in inventory/10-million-dollar annual revenue.

Identified training needs; completed renewal audit of our ISO 9001 certification.

Aluminite Screens Des Moines, IA Window Screens and Patio Door screen Screen Mfg. 2008 – 2014

GENERAL MANAGER

Efficiently led and supervised employees while working through the start-up phases of the Des Moines window and door screen manufacturing location. First point of contact/responsible for all business/production operations of the Des Moines plant. P&L responsibility along with annual budget preparation. Ensured optimal workflow, efficiency, and safe operations of each department. Maintained an efficient FIFO inventory system to ensure materials were stocked and supplied. Developed and managed complex operating budgets, ensuring continued cost avoidance and revenue growth. Maintained an efficient cycle count schedule that maximized inventory and profitability. Developed Lean practices that optimized production processes.

Achieved a new company record for profitability in five months under my direction.

Fulfilled the complete business start-up for the Des Moines location from the planning phase through to an efficient production facility, achieving the first profitable month within the first quarter.

Grew rapidly increasing revenue from 15-18 million at the initial year startup to roughly 30 million, adding seven additional key customer locations due to our plant quality and on-time performance.

Increased patio door screen throughput from 100 doors a day to 220 resulting in a 120% increase through a key lean event to accommodate new business influx rapidly.

Ensured all customer deliveries were fulfilled and delivered on time 99.9% target through implementing daily MDI boards for each production line to measure KPIs.

Production efficiency/takt time target of 95%, internal and external quality targets of 99.5% or better, inventory turns, weekly/monthly revenue and inventory days on hand, 5S as a pass/fail daily check.

Manufactured window/door screens to daily orders utilizing lean methodologies to both meet order deadlines and increase profitability.

Utilized “stock” builds on high running common sizes to level load daily schedules and provide key time needed to meet large custom order demands during the busy season. Resulting in approximately 13% labor during the busy season and 15-18% in the off season.

Continuously performed Kaizen events, safety training/implementations.

Continuous interaction with our customers (several Jeld Wen Divisions and Anderson Windows) and first point of contact for each customer.

Earlier Experience as Shop Manager at KFI-IA Manufacturing; Production Manager/Plant Manager at Thornwood Furniture Manufacturing; and Lead Packaging Specialist / Supervisor at Style Craft Furniture.

Education

Master of Science, Information Systems University of Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ

Bachelor of Science, Business Management Buena Vista University, Storm Lake, IA

Professional Training

Lean Manufacturing Project Management Green Belt Root Cause Value Stream Mapping Quick Response Manufacturing Dale Carnegie

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